Atomizer



March 22, 1938.

H. E. CURRY ATOMIZER Filed Aug. 28, v1935 Inventor f/z/ o/d .ZZ Car/7-13 By? Au omey Patented Mar. 22, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1Claim.

My invention relates generally to atomizers, and particularly to anatomizer especially adapted for medical use, and an important object ofthe invention is to provide an atomizer of this character which achievesa very fine division of the liquid and which prevents the spraying ofundesirable large drops or particles.

Another important object of my invention is to provide an atomizercapable of producing the finest spray without sacrifice tothe totalvolume of liquid atomized and sprayed.

Another important object of the invention is to provide in an atomizerof the character indicated above means for efiectlvely controlling thephysical characteristics of the spray in addition to obtaining a maximumquantity thereof.

Other important objects of my invention will be apparent from a readingof the following description in connection with the drawing, wherein forpurposes of illustration I have shown a preferred embodiment of myinvention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the embodiment.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view 5 taken throughFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective diagrammatic view of the atomizing jet,capillary tube and diagonal baflle.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral 5 generally designates asuitable generally globular container of suitable material such as glassor metal or composition which has a relatively large delivery tube 6communicating with one side thereof which projects radially, from theglobe and is capable of having its other end stoppered by a stopper 1when the device is not in use. Diametrically opposite the delivery tube6 the globe has a connection nipple 8 in communication with the interiorof the globe 5, the neck being connected to a tube 9 in communicationwith a suitable source of air under pressure such as a bulb l0.

Disposed in the top of the globe near the neck 8 is the filling openingneck II which extends radially inwardly at an acute angle relative tothe axis of the tube 6 and is adapted to be closed by a plug or stopperl2.

Axially aligned with the tube 6 and mounted at the opening by which theneck or nipple 8 communicates with the interior of the globe is thetapering air jet nozzle 13 which has depending therefrom near itsradially inward end the brace l5 which is J-shaped in cross section andhas its lower end connected with the lower part of a ver- 05 ticalcapillary tube It which has its lower end close to the bottom of theglobe 5 and its upper end curvcdly angulated as indicated by the numerall'l away from the jet nozzle I3 and rising approximately on a level withthe small inner end of the nozzle l3 and pointing toward the 5 tube 6.

Rising from a lower part of the left hand side of the capillary tube I6is a support [8 which terminates at its upper end in a disk-like bafileplate 20 which is angulated with respect to the 10 axis of the nozzle l3and has an angulation approximating that of the part I! of the capillarytube. Depending from the left hand or upper edge of the disk bafile 20is a suitable capillary drain arrangement 2| which may be in the form 15of a thin rod or a tube terminating at its lower end in a small ball 22.

The interior of the globe 5 having been filled to a suitable level belowthe axis of the tube 6 with the liquid to be sprayed, compressing thebulb i0 20 will cause compressed air to enter the globe through thenozzle l3 and to be concentrated in a stream by the nozzle l3 andimpinged upon the upper side of the portion ll of the capillary tube II6 and the exposed face of the baffle 20 and find 25 exit through thetube 6, and in so passing atomize the liquid which is present at theupper end of the capillary tube l6 by virtue of the capillary action ofthe tube, so as to atomize and spray this liquid and impinge theresultant liquid par- 30 ticles or droplets upon the bafile 20 and causethem to take therefrom a course which is axial through the tube 6.

When the liquid to be sprayed is atomized-by the jet and capillarydevice, the resultant spray is 35 composed of both large and small dropsor particles. I have found that by use of a barrier or bafile such asthat indicated by the numeral 20 in the drawing, that not only will thelarger drops be eliminated, but actually the barrier is capa- 4 bio ofreatomizing some of these.

The atomized stream to be controlled should be intercepted close to itssource in order that the larger drops shall strike the barrier or bafflewith suffioient force to collapse them. With the baffle 45 located asclosely as indicated to the air jet l3, the blast from the jet l3 willreatomize some of these collapsed drops which have wetted the baliie 20.

All of the liquid that condenses on the bafile 20 50 will not bereatomized however, and for this reason I have found it advantageous toprovide a drainage means to prevent the large drops from forming on andbeing blown from the trailing edge of the bafile. Such means is providedby forming a small rod or the like in close contact with the undersideof the baffle disk 20, such as the member 2| and using the capillaryaction thereof to return the excess liquid on the baffle to the storagespace therebelowin the globe.

If the bafiie plate intercepts the stream of atomized liquid diagonallyand is curved slightly in the direction of its course, little resistanceis offered to the forward movement of the spray. By adjusting the angleand the elevation of the baffle disk, effective control of the drop sizeof the spray delivered through the tube 6 may be secured.

When the atomizer is operated, the individual droplets of inhalable sizesuch as would be recommended for the treatment of pulmonary diseases andthe like, are not afiected to any appreciable extent, but the largerdrops are collapsed on the baflle.

The bafiiewhen wetted simulates the action of the mucous membrane of thenose and throat, in that the spray passing the baflle will be capable ofbeing drawn past the said membranes and actually into the lungs of thepatient.

Although I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is to be definitely understood that I do not desire tolimit the application of the invention thereto, and any change orchanges may be made in the materials, and in the structure andarrangement of the parts, within the spirit of the invention and thescope of the subjoined claim.

What is claimed is:

An atomizer comprising a body having a liquid containing space and aspray outlet, a capillary tube arranged to have one end immersed inliquid in said liquid containing space, a com pressed air inlet, saidcompressed air inlet having an air jet arranged to blow over theopposite end of said capillary tube in atomizing relation thereto, abarrier arranged beyond said capillary tube and diagonally interceptingthe stream of atomized liquid on its way to said spray outlet, saidbarrier being sufficiently close to the said opposite end of thecapillary tube to collapse the larger droplets in said stream and to becapable of reatomizing part of the droplets, and a capillary draindepending from said barrier into said liquid for relieving said barrierof excess liquid in a manner to prevent blowing of unatomized liquidfrom said barrier into said spray outlet.

HAROLD E. CURRY.

